Ratio control apparatus



Dec.20, 1949 RGLASS 2,491,725

RATIO CONTROL AEPARATUS Filed May 28, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

PAUL 6AA 5s Patented Dec; 20, 1949 RATIIO CGN'EROE APPARATUS Paul Glass, Chicago, ill, assignor to lislrania Regulator Qompany, a corporation of Illinois This invention relates to an arrangement or system for maintaining a predetermined ratio between the magnitudes of two quantities, factors or conditions.

My invention is useful wherever it is desired to automatically control one condition or factor in accordance with variations in another condition or factor, and to maintain a predetermined ratio between the magnitude of the controlled condition and that of the controlling condition.

My invention involves a novel relay arrangement which responds to variations in the controlling condition and varies the controlled condition. This novel relay includes a cathode ray tube having two anodes arranged on opposite sides of a neutral transverse axis of deflection and being connected to vary the controlled condition in opposite directions. The tube is provided with two beam deflecting systems, oneof which is energized by the controlling condition to defiect the beam at a predetermined angle to the neutral deflection axis, and the other deflection system is energized by the controlled condition and tends to return the beam to the neutral axis but along a path arranged at an angle to the deflection axis of the first deflection system. Provision is made for varying the angle between the neutral deflection axis of the tube and the deflection axes of the deflection systems, and this provides for the control of the ratio which is to be maintained between the two conditions.

Suitable embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a circuit diagram showing one form of my invention for maintaining a predetermined ratio between two electric currents; in this figure the cathode ray'tube is shown in section along a transverse plane;

Figure 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary diagram illustrating a modification of Figure 1; and v Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing my invention applied to maintain a predetermined ratio between the flow of fluids in two separate conduits.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawing, I indicates the envelope of a cathode ray tube containing anodes 2 and 3 arranged in one end of the tube. The end of the tube containing the electron emitting cathode and the other elements necessary to establish an electron beam within the tube is cut away and is not shown in Figure 1, the view in this figure being along the axis 2 of the beam and towards the end of the tube containing the anode elements. A pair of beam deflecting systems are formed on a magnetic ring t having four pole pieces carrying magnetizing windings 5a, 4b, 4c and id. Windings 5a and 6b of one'deflecting system are connected in series to a source of controlling current or voltage A and establish a magnetic field transversely of the path of the electron beam in tube 6, while windings ie and 4d of the second deflecting eyetem are connected in series to a source of controlled current or voltage represented by the bat= tery B and the potentiometer C and establish av second magnetic field transversely of the path of the electron beam and preferably at right angles to the axis of the field established by windings die-5b. An ammeter Ia indicates the current supplied from a source A and meter 1b indicates the current from source B.

Magnetic ring d is mounted for rotary ad justment about the axis of the tube 5 while the tube remains stationary. Rotation may be ac complished by manual movement of the ring about its axis. The amount of current supplied to coils 4c and id is controlled by shifting the contact on potentiometer C which is driven by motor l through any suitable means such as the block 5 operated by screw 6. The motor is energized from a suitable source of current 8 and is driven in one direction by energizing the motor through a field winding la, and in the opposite direction by energizing the motor through field winding lb. The connections for driving the motor in opposite directions are completed by a normally centered movable armature 9a of a polarized relay 9. It will be understood that the arrangement shown and described for controlling the motor 7 is given simply by way of example, since other arrangements may be employed.

The operation of the motor I is controlled in. accordance with the direction of deflection of the electron beam in tube l by the following arrangement. Anode 2 is connected through resistance Illa to positive lead it! of the anode supply-source while anode 3 is connected to the same lead through resistance lllb. A suitable indicating meter ll, preferably a center-zero voltmeter, is connected across the two anode leads Illa and lflb' to indicate any potential difference between the two anodes. The winding of polarized relay 9 is energized from anode leads Illa and Hlb, either by a direct connection or through a suitable amplifier l2.

A stationary scale l3 of arcuate form is arranged adjacent the periphery of the magnetic 3 ring 4 and is calibrated in terms to indicate the ratio between the values of the current at Ia and the current at ID. A pointer or indicator H is attached to the ring 4 and is arranged to cooperate with the scale 13.

The operation of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 will be explained byreference to the diagram shown in Figure 2 which shows an enlarged view "of the two anodes of Figure 1. The windings 4c4d establish a magnetic field along the axis X-X in Figure 2, and the axis of the field established by windings la- -Jb is indicated at Y-Y. It will be assumed that with no current flowing in the magnetizing windings on ring 3, the electron beam is directed at the center of the anodes and either does not strike either anode or else strikes both anodes equally. Ia and II) are of equal magnitude and have proper polarities, then windings la4b will deflect the beam to the right by a given amount to the point a on axis X-X, and windings 4c and 4d will deiiect the beam upwardly by the same amount to to the point b on the 45 axis indicated by the line 55. When the beam is positioned at any point on the line 15, it lies wholly within the space between anodes 2 and 3 or else energizes these two anodes equally and no potential difference develops across anode leads Illa and it'll). This condition indicates a 1:1 ratio of the currents as shown by the position of the pointer It in Figure 1. It will be noted that the anodes 2 and 3 are positioned on opposite sides of the line l5 which may be termed the neutral deflection axis of the beam since cleilection of the beam along this axis has no efiect upon the motor '1.

Assume now that current Ia increases to twice the value of current lb, the beam will be deflected to the right to the point which is twice the distance from the YY axis as the point 29. Since the electron beam falls upon the anode 3, relay 9 will operate to drive the motor 7 in a direction to increase the current Ib and thereby deflect the beam upwardly from the point 0 until it reaches the point d on the line 15, and at this time the relay 9 will return to its neutral position to stop the motor. It is clear that the point 11 is twice the distance from the XX axis as the point e, and the current lb will be twice its original value and will be equal to the current Ia.

In a similar manner, if current Ia should decrease to one-half its original value, the beam will move to the left from the point I) in Figure 2 to the point e and will energize relay 9 to operate the motor I in a direction to reduce the current lb. The motor will continue to operate until the beam reaches the point on line and at this point relay 9 will return to its neutral position to stop the motor, and the current Ib will have the same value as the current Ia.

By shifting the ring 4 in a counter-c1ockwise direction, the X and Y deflection axes of the two deflecting systems are shifted with respect to theneutral deflection axis ill of the cathode ray tube, and a difl'erent ratio will be maintained between the controlling current Ia and the controlled current Ib. By shifting the ring 4 in a clockwise direction, a lower ratio wilLbe maintained between the controlling current Ia and the controlled current Ib. The ratio values which are maintained for difierent positions of the ring 4 are indicated on scale I3.

If the controlling source A is of alternating current, the anode arrangement will be like that shown in Figure 3 where four segmental anodes are employed instead of two semi-circular if currents anodes. In this arrangement, the anodes 2 and 3 are arranged on opposite sides of the neutral deflection axis of the tube in the same manner as the anodes of Figure 1. The anode 2a which lies diametrically opposite anode 2 is arranged on the opposite side of the deflection axis and is connected to the anode 2. In a like manner, the anode 3a is arranged diametrically opposite the anode 3 and is connected with the anode 3. The anodes 2 and 3 are connected by leads Illa and 10b to the same controlling circuit as in Figure 1. By the anode arrangement shown in Figure 3, the deflection oi the beam in opposite directions from the center along. a given axis will cause the motor to rotate either to the right or to the left depending on which pair of anodes is traversed by the deflection axis of the beam.

It is also possible to vary the ratio factor by leaving the ring A stationary and rotating the cathode ray tube about its axis. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figure 3 where the tube l is mounted for rotation about its axis by means of a ring gear 18 secured to the tube and being driven by a gear ll connected to a motor 88. The indicator H which cooperates with the scale 13 is mounted on the gear it. The two deflecting systems have not been shown in Figure 3 but they will be the same as those illustrated in Figure 1.

It will be understood that the desired ratio setting in Figure 3 may be obtained by manually moving gear 16 or gear I! or by energizing the motor IS. The scale i3 is the same as in Figure 1 except that the graduations are reversed, which is due to the movement of the cathode ray tube instead of movement of the deflecting systems.

The modification shown in Figure 3 when embodied in Figure 1 may be employed to produce an indication of the product of two conditions or factors. For example, if the motor 18 is energized by a current Ic from a source C which represents one condition or factor, then the system will operate so that the current Ia will be proportional to the product of currents in and 10. To accomplish this result, the disk l5 should normally be urged in one direction by suitable biasing means such as the biasing spring l9 associated with the motor l8, and the motor would 'operate in opposition to this biasing spring to adjust the ratio setting to a value corresponding to the current 10.

It will be understood that the controlling ourrent Ia supplied from the source A. may represent any variable condition or factor. For example,

the controlling current Ia (or 10) may be derived "from thermocouples, microphones, light sensitive cells or other devices which respond to physical, chemical or other conditions such as chemical reactions, heat, sound, light, pressure, rate of flow, mechanical displacement, and the like. Also, the current Ib may be derived from different sources representing different conditions, and my ratio control apparatus is capable of wide application.

One specific application of my ratio control apparatus is shown in Figure 4 where it is applied to maintain a predetermined ratio between the flow of fluids in two separate conduits l5 and 20. These conduits may supply fluids to a common consuming device, or they may be entirely separate. Controlling current supplied to deflection coils la and 4b is derived from a translating device 2| which responds to the rate of flow or the fluid in conduit [9, and current for energizing deflection coils 4c and Id is supplied from a translating device 22 which responds to the rate 0! flow of fluid in conduit 20. The motor 1, instead of serving to vary directly the current in windings 4c and 4d is arranged to operate a valve 23 in conduit by means of a pinion gear 24 engaging a rack 25 carried by the stem of the valve.

The operation of Figure 4 will be clear from the foregoing description of operation of Figure 1. So long as the rates of flow in the two conduits l9 and 20 are at a definite ratio, the electron beam remains on its neutral axis and the motor 1 remains de-energized. If the rate of flow should change in either conduit, the beam will be deflected away from its neutral axis and the motor I will b energized to operate in a direction to change the flow in conduit 20 so as to restore the original ratio between the two rates of flow. It will be obvious that any desired ratio may be obtained by shifting the neutral axi of control system involves reversible means for increasing or decreasing a controlled condition or factor, the reversible means being controlled by a cathode ray tube relay having at least two anodes arranged on opposite sides of a neutral deflection axis. The relay is also provided with two deflection systems arranged to deflect the cathode ray beam along two axes having a fixed angular relation. One of the deflecting systems is energized in accordance with a controlling condition or factor, while the other deflection system is energized in accordance with the controlled condition or factor. Provision is also made for shifting or varying the angular relation between the neutral deflection axis of the tube and the axes of the two deflection systems.

In the appended claims the term current is to be interpreted broadly to include voltage. Also, the term condition is to be interpreted broadly to apply to diflerent factors or conditions.

I claim:

1. In control apparatus, the combination oi reversible means for increasing or decreasing a controlled condition, a cathode ray tube relay having at least two anodes arranged on opposite sides of a neutral deflection axis and connected to control said reversible means, two beam deflection systems producing separate deflecting fields to deflect the cathode ray beam along two axes arranged substantially at right angles to each other, means for energizing one of said deflection systems in accordance with a controlling condition, and means for energizing the other deflection system in accordance with the controlled condition. 1

2. Control apparatus according to claim 1 and including means for varying the angular relation between the neutral deflection axis of said tube and the axes of said deflection systems.

3. In control apparatus, the combination 0! a source of variable control current, a source of controlled current, reversible means for increasing or decreasing said controlled current, a cathode ray tube having a pair of anodes arranged on opposite sides of a neutral deflection axis and connected to control said reversible means, means energized by said controlling current for deflecting the beam of said cathode ray tube along a predetermined axis arranged at an angle of less than to said neutral axis, and means energized by said controlled current for deflecting said beam along a second axis arranged substantially at right angles to the axis of said first deflecting means.

4. In control apparatus, the combination of means to vary the magnitude of a condition, a cathode ray tube including means for producing an electron beam normally directed along a predetermined axis, four anode elements arranged about the normal axis of said beam in pairs of diametrically disposed elements, a beam-deflecting system producing a beam deflecting fleld for deflecting said beam along a given axis, reversible electrical means for actuating said magnitudevarying means and having two circuits for operating said means in opposite directions, means for energizing one of said circuits when saidv beam is deflected onto either element of one pair of anode elements, means for energizing the second circuit when said beam is deflected onto either element of the second pair of anode elements, a second beam-deflecting system producing a second beam deflecting field for deflecting said beam along an axis arranged substantially at right angles to the deflection axis of said first deflecting system, and means for energizing said second deflecting system in accordance with the magnitude of said condition.

5. Control apparatus according to claim 1 and including means controlled by a second controlling condition for varying the angular relation between said neutral deflection axis and the axes of said two deflection systems.

PAUL GLASS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,027,393 McCreary Jan. 14, 1936 2,363,791 Holden Nov. 28, 1944 2,428,747 Ziebolz Oct. '1, 1947 2,453,563 Ziebolz Nov. 9, 1948 

